XZ backdoor: Hook analysis


In their first article on the XZ backdoor, Kaspersky researchers analyzed its code from initial infection to the function hooking it performs. As they mentioned then, its initial goal was to successfully hook one of the functions related to RSA key manipulation.

In this article, the research team will focus on the backdoor’s behaviour inside OpenSSH, specifically OpenSSH portable version 9.7p1 – the most recent version at this time. To better understand what’s going on, they recommend you to read Baeldung’s article about SSH authentication methods and JFrog’s article about privilege separation in SSH.

Read more…
Source: Kaspersky


Sign up for our Newsletter


Related:

  • StripedFly: Perennially flying under the radar

    October 26, 2023

    It’s just another cryptocurrency miner… Nobody would even suspect the mining malware was merely a mask, masquerading behind an intricate modular framework that supports both Linux and Windows. It comes equipped with a built-in TOR network tunnel for communication with command servers, along with update and delivery functionality through trusted services such as GitLab, GitHub, ...

  • The outstanding stealth of Operation Triangulation

    October 23, 2023

    In the previous blogpost on Triangulation, Kaspersky researchers discussed the details of TriangleDB, the main implant used in this campaign, its C2 protocol and the commands it can receive. The researchers mentioned, among other things, that it is able to execute additional modules. They also mentioned that this operation was quite stealthy. This article details ...

  • Money-making scripts attack organizations

    October 19, 2023

    In April of this year, the FBI published an advisory on attacks targeting government, law enforcement, and non-profit organizations. Attackers download scripts onto victims’ devices, delivering several types of malware all at once. The main aim is to utilize company resources for mining, steal data using keyloggers, and gain backdoor access to systems. According to Kaspersky ...

  • Another InfoStealer Enters the Field, ExelaStealer

    October 19, 2023

    In 2023, the InfoStealer market is a reasonably crowded affair. The likes of RedLine, Raccoon, and Vidar own a significant market share, with new entrants such as SaphireStealer appearing frequently. The latest entry, ExelaStealer has now taken the field. Very little backstory is available on ExelaStealer, with the earliest public mentions FortiGuard Labs could locate ...

  • Akira ransomware overview

    October 12, 2023

    Akira is a relatively new ransomware variant with Windows and Linux versions that came out in April 2023. Like many attackers, the gang behind this variant only uses the ransomware to encrypt files after first breaking into a network and stealing data. This group also employs a double extortion tactic, demanding a ransom from victims ...

  • BunnyLoader, the newest Malware-as-a-Service

    September 29, 2023

    In early September, Zscaler ThreatLabz discovered a new Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) threat called “BunnyLoader” being sold on various forums. BunnyLoader provides various functionalities such as downloading and executing a second-stage payload, stealing browser credentials and system information, and much more. BunnyLoader employs a keylogger to log keystrokes as and a clipper to monitor the victim’s clipboard and ...